Tonamalangi

TARAKANI and Wayamoto were the names of villages in Maluku. Those two villages were side by side. There was no clear border but a jungle separated Tarakani and Wayamoto.

The people in Tarakani and Wayamoto never crossed the jungle. They also never visited their neighboring village. Why? Well, because the people in the Tarakani and Wayamoto did not get along very well. They were always fighting. They hated each other!

The hatred between those two villages had been happening for a long time. It was so long that people did not remember when they started to hate each other. Interestingly, people in those villages did not know the reason why they started the quarrel.

There were two families that lived near the jungle. One family was in Tarakani and the other one was in Wayamoto.

Both of the families had one son. The parents of those two families always forbade their children to cross the jungle or to make friends with the children in the neighboring village.

The kids often asked their fathers why they could not cross the jungle to play with the kids in the neighboring village. The fathers always gave unclear answer. They just said that the kids were not allowed to do it.

Well, both of the kids were really curious. When the fathers were not at home, those two kids secretly
went to the jungle.

Accidentally, the two kids met! They introduced each other. When they knew that they were from the opponent village, the kids promised not to tell anyone about it. They also agreed to meet in the jungle to play. They were happy to have new friends!

One day, the leader of Tarakani village went to the jungle. He had been hunting the animals but unfortunately it was not a good day for him to go hunting. He kept on walking and he almost crossed the border.

Meanwhile, exactly at the same time the leader of Wayamoto was also hunting in the jungle. He also had the same problem. He could not find any single of animal! He kept on walking and he almost crossed the border.

The two leaders did not know that they were in the same place. They were coming from the opposing areas. They carefully walked. Suddenly, they heard children talking.

The two leaders were curious. They slowly walked and tried to listen to the kids conversation.

"I'm so sad with this problem. Actually I want to go to your village and play with other kids there," said one kid.

"Me, too. But my father never let me go to your village. He can never explain it to me. I'm so sad why our parents behave like that," said the other child.

The leaders were touched. They did not know that the problems between the two villages had made the kids suffer. They slowly approached the kids.

The two leaders were finally face-to-face! They were shocked! They were speechless, not knowing what to do.

The kids said, "Why the two of you are quiet, Sirs? Please talk."

The leaders smiled. They shook hand and began to talk about how to make peace between the two villages.

Peace finally happened! The people in those two villages were very happy. To commemorate their historical moment, they put a big stone in the border of the villages. That big stone was named Tonamalangi which means 'the Border'. ***